Block MSN Messenger for Win2k

[4akash]

I was trying to block MSN Messenger to run on a Win2k Professional. Trying to block it in registry so that even administrator's will not be able to run it. I tried the following but didn't work:

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client .. Dword value "PreventRun" 1=enable, 0=default

I also tried HKLM tweak I found in Google, but they don't seem to work for Win2K. Any Idea??

[888]

I was trying to block MSN Messenger to run on a Win2k Professional. Trying to block it in registry so that even administrator's will not be able to run it. I tried the following but didn't work:

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client .. Dword value "PreventRun" 1=enable, 0=default

I also tried HKLM tweak I found in Google, but they don't seem to work for Win2K. Any Idea??

Why not uninstall it since you don't want anyone to be able to run it?

[4akash]

Sorry for the confusion but the user is always on msn messenger on the company time. User also has administrative rights who can always install it back if it is uninstalled but not smart enough to mess with the registry. Company policy doesn't prevent her from using msn messenger, but this one particular user spends 90+% of the time chatting in msn and boss thinks she is working on reports and stuff and the workload comes to me because she is busy (chatting). I probably sound stupid but I hate it when boss doesn't realize what exactly is going on and pushes the work down to me. Boss is also in favor for his only "girl" employee.

Edited September 7, 2007 by 4akash

[888]

Sorry for the confusion but the user is always on msn messenger on the company time. User also has administrative rights who can always install it back if it is uninstalled but not smart enough to mess with the registry. Company policy doesn't prevent her from using msn messenger, but this one particular user spends 90+% of the time chatting in msn and boss thinks she is working on reports and stuff and the workload comes to me because she is busy (chatting). I probably sound stupid but I hate it when boss doesn't realize what exactly is going on and pushes the work down to me. Boss is also in favor for his only "girl" employee.

Well, there is nothing you can do on the machine itself if the user is in admin group me thinks, you can play with registry but it all will be overwritten once she reinstall msn messenger, so the only solution is blocking her ports on company server, or/and IP addresses (because dont forget even if you block ports messenger uses, she can always go to messenger website and use live messenger like a normal webpage there; not to mention ports redirectors etc).

PS: If its a small company and you guys just share router (no server there) and you can login as router's admin, you can do the same there too, with the main difference that these rules (blocking ports or IPs) will apply to all the machines, so don't forget that you'll prevent everyone from using messenger if you block it on router.

Edited September 7, 2007 by 888

[bober]

try this.

open HOSTS file{C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc}{open with notepad} and add:

127.0.0.1  www.userplane.com

[cluberti]

Unfortunately, blocking MSN messenger is tough - especially when the user is an admin on their box. You can't disable the later versions via the registry hacks (they no longer work), and you can't easily block ports or hosts (hosts change periodically, and MSN messenger can use port 80 to communicate). If you do not have a proxy that requires authentication to get out of your network to the internet, or do not have a firewall that can block traffic by sniffing at the application layer (Like an ISA firewall, for example), you're pretty much SOL unless you want to pay for software to install on that box (and she can uninstall, as well, as the admin of the box).

If this is the case, I think it may be time to start gathering your data and bringing it up with the boss(es). If that doesn't work, you might consider living with it, or finding a different tact to approach this (or a different job).

[Mercury_22]

Try this : go to windows firewall on her machine and block the messenger on all ports and protocols !

[awergh]

isnt there a registy thingy so that you can have a program blacklist?

i remeber something in poledit with some additional templates

[dubsdj]

If you are on a domain cant you just do that in group policy

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323525

That's what we did...

[dubsdj]

that is ofcourse she's not a computer wizkid who knows their way around Group Policy. If she does then the above wont work as she's an administrator and can go into AD and change it back..

Although its quite well hidden in the Admin templates

[cluberti]

that is ofcourse she's not a computer wizkid who knows their way around Group Policy. If she does then the above wont work as she's an administrator and can go into AD and change it back..

Although its quite well hidden in the Admin templates

If you do it at the domain level for group policy (and not the machine level), she won't be able to modify it. Just be careful - software restriction policies are somewhat dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

[synectics]

Can you not block at fw level?